


Secrets in Ice

by MegaraNoelle



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, FrostIron - Freeform, Iron Man AU, Jotun Loki, Kid Loki, Kid Thor, Kid Tony, M/M, Slow Burn, Thor AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 17:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20246752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaraNoelle/pseuds/MegaraNoelle
Summary: Loki knew that he was Jotun, that he was just to be used to bargain for peace. When has Loki ever accepted his fate? He escapes to Midgard, hiding in plain sight from those that would seek him out. He wasn't aware of how many wanted him alive. He wasn't aware that he would grow close to the Stark Family, or how protective he would be of Howard's young son Tony. Specially when something has been biding it's time, waiting to get it's hand back on the little Jotun.





	Secrets in Ice

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is something that I had started a while ago, into some of my first forays into FrostIron. It's currently in progress, and I'm making a push to finish up all my WIP's!  
But Here's this, it's been a little personal favorite of mine that's been hanging around. I didn't realize that I hadn't posted it here, so I hope that you all have fun with this!  
You can check out my Tumblr too! Megaranoelle.tumblr.com
> 
> I don't own Marvel, the Avengers, the characters, or anything like that. I just have the creative flow to weave into these established characters!

Loki was eight when his heritage was revealed to him. It was almost by accident really, he had followed Thor out on one of his many adventures, foolishly, slipping from the sights of his bodyguard. Thor wanted to get some crystal flowers for their mother, and only Loki knew where they were. He knew that he wouldn't be able to dissuade his brother from his mission, and he longed to leave the palace again, so he agreed.

Deep into the frozen forest they traveled, Thor stayed close to Loki, not wanting to follow behind since he was the eldest, but had no idea where he was going. Loki's hands glowed green, one of the few things visible in the snow, keeping Thor from getting lost. The blonde tightly gripped the frozen flowers in his gloved hands as they traipsed through the snow.

"Are we close brother?" Thor shouted over the wind. "I don't know how much longer we will last in the cold!" Loki nodded as he let his magic guide him. He could see Thor shaking, the cold and snow seeping through his clothes and into his bones. Loki didn't feel it like his older brother though. He found the cold tolerable, comfortable even.

"Wait," Loki held out his hand and Thor blinked. "There is something here, we are not alone." Thor looked at him, ready to take a fighting stance. Loki stepped forward, narrowing his eyes as they started to glow. After several more steps he turned at the sudden shout coming from Thor. The ten year old had been surrounded by spires of ice, and a flash of blue shot past Thor and around a tree.

Loki turned quickly and gasped when something hit him in the chest, knocking him to his back in the snow. "Loki!" He turned in the snow when something wrapped around his ankle. Loki slid through the snow and around the tree, out of the sight of Thor.

He came face to face with a pair bright blue eyes, surrounded by an aura of frost and cold. An Ice Spirit. "Two Asgardians, marching through here with what is mine," it hissed and Loki shivered, fear creeping up his spine. "Shall I make you part of my Forest? A spectacle for those foolish enough to enter here? You shall make a fine addition, yes," long finger pushed the black hair from Loki's face, freezing the strands in place.

"We'll give them back," Loki said quickly. "We only wanted a gift for our mother, we meant no harm, we did not know that we were stealing." He watched as the spirit walked around Loki's small body slowly, feeling the ice creep up his feet.

"Is it not common practice to ask before taking something?" He felt the cold breath next to his ear. "Perhaps I shall show some mercy, I shall ask when you could not." He moved to stand in front of Loki. "Shall I let you or your brother leave? Let you go with a warning for others to hear?"

Loki swallowed slowly. "Let my brother go, he can not stand the cold, he would be a bothersome addition." The spirit smiled wide and laughed. "But he will get lost," Loki quickly added. "I will only stay if you show him the way out of your forest, those are my conditions."

"Very well," it disappeared in a dust of snow and Loki let out a breath. He brushed his hands through his hair, trying to shake the ice off, then knelt to examine his feet. He could try to fashion an illusion around himself, but it would do no good if he couldn't get away. Thor would surely run for their father, maybe he wouldn't have to wait long.

A finger slid across the back of his neck and he froze briefly, before pushing himself back up. He looked into the positively devious eyes of the Ice Spirit and couldn't help but stare. The hand moved to his cheek and suddenly the Spirit frowned and took a step away. Loki blinked and reached up to touch his cheek, but could only feel the lingering flakes of frost.

"Jotun," the spirit hissed before wrapping its hand around Loki's face. His eyes widened as he felt the ice forming, capturing his small body in its position. He watched to blue eyes narrow at him before pulling away, watching and listening the only things that he had been left with. He hoped that Thor would return quickly with help.

* * *

The problem with the frozen forest was that it almost always seemed on the verge of dawn, no matter what time it was. While a beautiful sight to most, it was maddening to Loki. He couldn't move, and he couldn't even count the time as it passed. He had tried to keep track in his mind, but soon found that after eight hours he was likely to drive himself mad before someone came. He'd almost wish that the Ice Spirit would come back, it had actually talked to him.

From his very vague calculations he had surmised that possibly two days had passed. There was one thought that was a constant on his mind, though. Why didn't Loki feel the ice as Thor did? Just form walking int he snow his elder brother looked ready to collapse, while now Loki was encased in ice, magical ice, and he only felt faint shivers of cold. Did it have anything to do with what the spirit said before he had left?

"Loki!" Loki's eyes swung over to see several figures coming towards him, his brother running ahead of them. He might have cried in relief. "Father! Hurry, his skin is turning an unnatural blue from the spell!" Loki's eyes widened slightly. Blue?

There was a gust of wind and the Ice Spirit appeared between the approaching group and Loki. "The Allfather himself comes," Loki could hear the smirk in its voice. "I did not know that this whelp warranted such a visit. I would have expected another King to show for him."

"Baldr, take Thor," Odin spoke as he approached the spirit. Loki watched as one of the warriors took Thor's hand and pulled him back with some of the other warriors. "You willingly hold a Prince captive?"

"I think I was not the first to do so," the spirit swept around to Loki side. He could feel the cold hand run down Loki's arm through the ice. "No, this is no longer your concern, Odin," it hissed out at him. "I have come into possession of this one. He shall be displayed in my most prominent of features, spelled to still grow old so that all may recognize him."

Odin pointed his staff at the Spirit and Loki followed it with his eyes. Loki didn't care what Odin would do to punish him for breaking dozens of rules, he only wanted to be free of this wretched forest. "Release him."

"We made a deal," the spirit countered. "I let his 'brother' go, even showed him the way back to the palace, and he would stay here." He leaned down and ran a hand across the top of Loki's head. "Unless another bargain is struck; I suppose I could try and come to some agreement."

Loki closed his eyes tightly, trying to pull deeply for his magic. He fought past the spells around his body, pulling on whatever raw power he could muster. The ice around his fingers start to slowly melt away from the inside until he could barely wiggle his fingers. The tips of his fingers sparked green, melting away the rest of the ice until he could feel the wind on his fingers. If he could have Loki would have let out a sob of relief

"He is an eight year old boy," a voice said from behind Odin. Loki watched as his bodyguard stepped up. Her white hair was pulled back as she dropped his hood to look at the Spirit with her golden eyes. "He is not old enough to know of what he speaks, especially with a creature such as yourself."

The Ice Spirit snarled at them and Loki worked his other hand free. "You deign to call me a creature? Compared to yourselves?" It took a step closer to the two, snow and frost whipping up around it in it's anger. "You're the ones keeping a creature around!" Loki could sense the magic building up, could sense the hidden attack coming. He saw the spears of ice building up in the air behind Odin and Loki's own guard, Renna.

"No!" He felt the ice break away and he called the magic in the area to himself. drawings the ice spears to himself. He closed his eyes, waiting for something, pain, coldness, something to happen. He opened his eyes and saw that Renna was standing in front of him while Odin had pinned the spirit to a tree with his staff.

Loki looked up and bright blue eyes caught his. "We made a deal, Princeling. We will see each other again." A gust of snow and wind flew through the clearing and the spirit disappeared. Loki took a breath then released the excess power he was holding, falling to his knees in the snow. He looked at his hands and frowned; Thor had been right, he was turning blue.

Renna took off her jacket and wrapped it around Loki quickly, picking him up in her arms. She joined Odin as they left the forest, but Loki couldn't stop looking at his skin. He didn't feel any warmer in the fur lined jacket, but he wasn't shaking with the cold like he should have been. He had been trapped in ice, he should by all accounts be unable to move, unable to feel.

"What's wrong with me?" He whispered and looked at Renna.

"Shush child," she said, not looking down at him. "This is not the time for talking." No, Loki knew that, they'd talk as his punishment, for Thor's quest, was decided.

* * *

"Don't dawdle," Renna told the Prince, throwing a jacket at him. "You must be ready for their arrival."

"You mean ready for a hand off," Loki murmured as he slid the jacket on. "There's no guarantee that this is even going to work," he didn't flinch at the glare that his guard gave to him. After thousands of years with Renna at his side he had become immune to almost everything she could throw at him. He knew that Odin intended to offer Loki and the Casket as a peace offering to the Jotuns arriving.

"Hold your tongue," she opened the door and waited for Loki to walk out of the room first. His only consolation would be that he wouldn't have to be followed around by Renna anymore.

Loki had quickly been dismissed by the others when he was younger. Thor and his friends had at first try to play with him, but that quickly stopped when they realized that Renna was always there, and that she would always report back to Odin.

As they walked down the hall to the throne room Loki's head turned slightly, feeling a wisp of unfamiliar magic brush past his sense. He frowned slightly but let his senses reach out while they kept walking. He could tell it was powerful, more so than even Odin, and it intrigued him.

"Wait here," he glanced at Renna when she placed a hand on his shoulder just outside the throne room. "I shall come to collect you. I'll know if you try to sneak away." She pointed at him then walked inside, the guards closing the doors as she disappeared. Loki shifted slightly on his feet, rubbing his arm slightly from the remnants of magic that traveled through his fingers. He had to find it again.

Turning he quickly left, leaving one of his clones in his spot and hurried back down the hall. He heard voices shouting down the hall when he reached the rogue power. Reaching out to it the green at his fingers crackled until a wind started to pick up. He stepped closer as the air in front him started to become distorted.

"Stop!" He turned quickly at Odin's voice and frowned slightly. Thor, Frigga, Renna, Laufey and a couple of other Frost Giants stood behind him. Laufey watched with mild interest, probably trying to gauge if this was in fact the son that Odin talked about. Loki looked at the group before turning back to look at the distortion.

"This has never been here before," Loki commented as his hand hovered over it, glowing green.

"It is something that must be controlled," Odin said, hoping to pull Loki away from the raw power. He knew what it was, a lesser Aesir had lost themselves many a time to it. "Something that is beyond your knowledge, Loki." Loki turned his head to shoot a glare at the older King.

"I surpass every sorcerer in Asgard," Loki almost hissed out. He hadn't missed how Renna had silently started to edge away from the group. "Where is this power from?"

"It is from Yggdrasil," Frigga spoke up softly. Loki's eyes widened slightly. The Great Tree itself? That was almost too much for Loki to ignore. Loki put out a hand when Renna made her move at his side, a shield blocking her from reaching him.

"Do you think that you could possibly control the power?" Laufey taunted from behind and Loki narrowed his eyes while still looking at Renna. "If you could, then you would surely be allowed to lay claim to my throne, welp."

Loki growled and looked back at the distortion. "I'll control it," he said just loud enough for the others to hear. "But I'll do it for myself." He whispered a spell and let tendrils of magic slip from his fingers to probe the power, then turned to look at the others. "I'll prove it to myself, since I have no family. I want no claim to any throne, not out of pity, or out of some diplomatic arrangement! I am not a pawn, not any longer." The wind started to grow stronger and the others, even Renna, took a couple of steps back.

Loki turned and studied the power. His magic tinted it green and he took a step closer to it, hand outstretched. "Loki, you shall lose yourself between the branches if you do this," Odin called out once again. "You could lose yourself in the Void!"

"I see no difference as to where I am lost now," he said before stepping into the distortion.

* * *

"Tony!" The screeching of tires on pavement had the man running faster out the door. There was a crack of thunder, and flash of green, in the clear sky, which gave the man pause, before the sound of a several car horns caught his attention again.

Pushing past the crowds gathering he saw a dark haired man in the middle of three cars, his body curled around something. Howard Stark jumped over the hood of one of the cars, his bodyguards close behind him, as the man started to teeter, falling to his side. He saw a familiar ruffle of dark brown hair in the mans' arms and felt his heart jump to his throat. The smaller body moved and a head popped up, hazel eyes wide.

"Tony!" Howard slid to his knees and wrapped his arms around his twelve year old son. "Are you alright?" He pulled back and tilted his face up, checking for any kind of wounds, astounded when he saw none. He had seen the kidnappers shoving Tony into the back of their car, how had he ended up in the middle of the street. He glanced back over at the man on his side, and noticed the clear green eyes were staring at him.

"It was the weirdest thing!" Tony exclaimed before leaning over to check on the raven haired man. "I was in the car, then this guy just kind of shows up. The others were not happy, let me tell you, but he just grabs me as they pull out their guns and suddenly we're out of the car." Howard knows that Tony rambles when he's nervous, but he's never made anything up like this before. "I'm waiting to get hit by these cars, but I just feel a little shake, that's it, and when I look up these cars all have crushed front ends and then you're running up."

Tony had helped his savior sit up in the road and Howard put out a hand. No matter how weird he looked, because who really wears all that leather in New York, he did save his sons life. The man glanced at it before reaching out slowly, and grasped his forearm. Howard blinked, as did Tony, before the man let go. He tried to push himself up, but stumbled a little before his knees could straighten out.

"Hang on there, Hercules," Tony jumped up, placing himself under the mans arm, letting him use the pre-teen as a balance point. As Howard stood up and placed his other arm around his shoulders he realized the man was taller then him.

"I am afraid that not even Hercules could pull that off," the man spoke quietly. Tony raised an eyebrow and grinned suddenly. After Tony's time at one of the boarding school in England he had grown an affinity for the accent. "He lacks the proper focus, very one sided individual."

"You talk as if you think he's real," Howard said as the two Starks started to help him walk away from the cars. The man merely smiled a little. "Maybe you took a hit to the head that we can't see."

"No, I assure you that my head feels fine," he said. "It is more of my legs that are refusing to cooperate as they should." They get him back to the building that the convention was held and Tony stays close to his savior, and Howard ponders something in his mind. It isn't until a few hours later, with Tony headed back to their mansion, that he's able to question Loki.

"Why did you risk your life to save Tony's?" It's not that he's not thankful, it's just that he can't understand.

"Because, no child should be taken from their home," Loki answers immediately, quietly, and Howard can hear that there's something behind that. "No matter what the reason." He looks back up at Howard. "I am sorry if-"

"I'd like you watch over Tony," Howard interrupts him and Loki blinks. "Be his bodyguard. He attracts trouble, it's in his nature, and none of my guys can keep up with him."

"I would not like to see him tethered-" Loki starts but Howard can't help but stop him again.

"No one can keep Tony tethered, trust me," Howard snorted a little with a small smile. "I just want you to keep him safe. You're not his babysitter, you're his guardian." Loki raises an eyebrow. "You got this thing about you, I'm not sure what it is, but I just feel like I can trust you with his life."

"You do not wish for me to report when he likely to do something not wise?" Loki was wondering how he could be offered the same role that he had despised, but yet have it mean much more.

"He'll do it no matter what," Howard waved his hand a little. "The only kind of report I want is if there's going to be a long term threat, or if you've just stopped someone. I care about his life, not his mistakes. Mistakes he'll learn from, and there are other people to report those to me."

Loki watched the man before nodding once. "This is a task that I can do with the utmost certainty, Mr Stark."

"Call me Howard," he extended his hand again, and this time Loki shook it.

* * *

"Loki?" Tony called out one night from his bed. Loki sat in a chair in the corner of the dark room. A letter had been received, threatening both Starks, and Loki figured if they were smart, they would try something at night. It's what he might have done.

"Yes, Anthony?" He glanced over at the teen, eyes returning to the points of access into the room.

"I can't help but think about two years ago, when you saved me. You remember?" Of course Loki remembered, but he didn't say anything. "How did you get us out of the car?"

"Magic," Loki answered simply. He had never been asked that before but Howard or Tony, and would only tell the truth. He had seen Howard's work with the tesseract and knew that they man believed that there were a few things out there that couldn't be explained.

"If you didn't wanna answer it, you just had to say so," Tony stubbornly said as he turned to his side. "I mean, you didn't have to make up- What the hell?" He sat up when he saw a faint green glow. Loki had raised an eyebrow as he let little sparks travel from his fingers up his arm and back down again.

"I do not lie to you, Anthony, never you." He gestured to the windows and the curtains opened slightly. He pushed himself up from the chair as the window had been pushed open. "I work magic as it runs through my very being. I use it to keep you safe," he reached out the window and there was a yelp. He pulled inside a man dressed in black and Tony's eyes widened slightly.

"I would appreciate it if you told no one else," Loki leaned down and pressed two glowing fingers to the mans forehead, knocking him out cold. "I am trying to stay hidden from those that would set their sights on me." Loki looked up into the hazel eyes of the boy.

"Like I'd let anyone take you away from me," Tony suddenly grinned. "I still have to get one by you one day. Who else would I have fun with?" Loki smirked slightly as he stood to get take care of their intruder.

"Indeed, Anthony Stark, indeed."

* * *

Almost thirty years later Loki watched Tony Stark from the back of the crowd as he demonstrated the Jericho. He felt a shiver down his spine and casually lifted his glasses, looking to the side. As the shockwave hit the group he saw a familiar blonde walking towards him.

"Thor," Loki said casually as he turned his attention back towards Tony, who was pulling out his phone to talk to Obidiah. "What are you doing here?" He started to walk towards his ward, as the other God fell in line next to him.

"We have been searching everywhere for you," he said in a deep voice. He may have been dressed in a suit like the other half of the people, but he stood out from the generals and business men. "It is time that you came home-"

"I have no home," Loki rounded on him, whispering harshly. "You would take me back only to play the silent fool? No, I have found a place here, and I will not be a part of any more games." He moved to walk and Thor wrapped a hand around his arm.

"Loki, come-" Loki pulled his arm from Thor's grip and took a step back.

"Do not tell me what to do, we are not family." Loki turned and blinked when he didn't see Tony, and saw three Humvees driving off. His phone jingled in his jacket and he pulled it out to see a text from Tony.

You look occupied. See you back at the base. Finally got one up on you

Loki growled and shoved the phone back in his pocket. "Thor, you would do well to leave me now. Because of your interruption I have failed in my duties." He turned without a second glance at Thor, working a spell at his fingers and disappeared back to the hotel on base. He dropped into a chair and rubbed at his face. How could that oaf Thor have found him so quickly, and how could have he let him distract him keeping an eye on Tony?

He knew that it would another twenty minutes at least before Tony returned. It gave him time to weave some more spells to hide him. Now that Thor knew where he was he was sure that others would return eventually. Heimdall would surely be looking for him with more intensity.

It was almost two hours later when there was a knock on the door. "It's about time, Tony," Loki muttered as he grasped the doorknob. "Did you- Rhodes?" He blinked at the man that looked a little worse for wear. He could see it in his eyes, something was wrong. "Where is Anthony?"

"We don't know," was not the answer that Loki had expected.

"I'll find him," Loki answered turning back into the room. Rhodey walked in, closing the door and watching Loki's clothes change to something more comfortable for him. Loki pulled all the blankets and sheets off the bed then sat down on it, crossing his legs, and relaxing.

He let his power spread out, his energies run through the land. It had only been two hours, not much could happen in two hours, right? He felt the familiar signature of Stark Industries weapons, the shapes, the contents within, several life energies walking around them. They weren't the right ones. He needed one that had been touched by magic.

Then he found it, and he almost wished he hadn't. Everything started to spin, he lost himself and there was a sudden blinding pain in his chest. He could hear screaming and shouting, foreign words and pain, overwhelming pain. There was a sudden pressure at his chest and it all stopped.

Loki opened his eyes to see Rhodey standing over him. "What the hell happened!"

Loki took a deep breath, and tried to hide his shaking hands. "I don't know.

It wasn't the answer that he wanted to give Pepper Potts when he arrived back in California a week later. "They would not allow me to stay," he told her as they got into the car at the airport.

"You couldn't use your magic to find him?" He could hear the barely contained hysterical note in her voice. Of course Pepper knew. She and Rhodey were the only ones that he had allowed Tony to tell.

"I can not find him," Loki informed her. "He is somewhere beyond my reach, I do not know why. Rest assured though, that he is alive, of this I am certain." Pepper placed a hand on one his, becoming aware that he had been clenching and releasing his hands. "He is alive," he repeated. He wasn't sure if it was for himself, or for Pepper.

* * *

Three months later the three loyal Stark employees stood on the tarmac as the back of the plane opened. Loki stood behind Pepper and Happy, his sunglasses on, as Tony and Rhodey walked down. He knew that Tony would wave away the gurney and he moved up to take Rhodey's place next to Tony.

"Next time, how about you wait for me?" Tony just smirked a little when Loki whispered in his ear. And then Tony was talking to Pepper and Happy was opening the doors for them. He sat up front with Happy, rolling his eyes when Tony asked for cheeseburgers and a press conference. He would question the man later. Until they got to the building Loki let his powers surround Tony, trying to figure out what had stopped him from finding him three months ago. There was a resistance near his chest, and Loki frowned when he opened his eyes.

When he was done digging the business into a hole. Loki groaned as he followed Tony from the press room to the building that housed the arc reactor.

"What exactly is the thought process in your head?" Loki asked standing next to Tony as they looked at the reactor.

"You can't read my mind or something?" Tony asked, and Loki could tell the man sounded tired.

"Unfortunately, no I can not. It would have helped many a time in the past," Loki said before turning to look at Tony. "But, even if that were in my arsenal, I am afraid that your new addition," he tapped Tony's chest, "blocks a good portion of my powers." Tony turned to look at him.

"That, actually explains something," Tony admitted quietly and Loki felt something constrict in his chest at the words. He grabbed Tony's shoulder gently and turned him.

"You know that I would always save you, right? That I would-"

"Yeah," Tony smiled up at him and nodded. "Yeah, I know that, haven't doubted it since I was 12."

"Until now," Loki confirmed. "Until the one time that I could not-"

"Don't blame yourself, Loki," Tony put a hand on his arm. "It was my fault, I shouldn't have tried to ditch you. If you had been by my side that day who knows what would have happened." He shrugged a little and turned to look at the giant prop piece. "I stopped wondering where you were after the second week. I was then thankful that you weren't with me, because if you were, you might have been dead or stuck right there with me in that goddamned cave. As long as you were here, you were safe."

Loki swallowed thickly then stepped back when the doors opened and Stane walked in. Had he been aware of what would happen he would have never made an agreement with Howard Stark. Had he known the emotional investment that would have been forged with Anthony Stark, he would have tried his luck somewhere else on Midgard.

And had he known that Obidiah Stane would have been the next threat to Tony Stark, he would have killed the man the minute he walked in.


End file.
